The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a cable bonding tool. More particularly, the invention relates to a cable bonding tool having an aluminum alloy portion and an elastomeric sponge portion, the sponge portion in contact with the cable, and thereby preventing damage thereto.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The current art for cable bonding tools is limited. Prior to the present invention, there was no device specifically intended for the bonding of the Capsule Launching System (CLS) umbilical cable to a capsule. Typically a length of wood such as a 2xc3x974 was utilized to bond the umbilical cable. This resulted in an inferior adhesive bond line thickness as the 2xc3x974 dimensions and the contact surface shape did not match the contour of the CLS capsule outer diameter.
Thus, a problem exists in the art whereby a device for specifically bonding an umbilical cable to a capsule is not known.
The following patents, for example, disclose various types of bonding cables, but do not disclose a tool for the adhesive bonding of an umbilical cable to a capsule.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,393 to Grimes;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,613 to Alpert;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,209 to Kongelbeck;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,464 to Rederiksson et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,038 to Purdy;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,731 to Betzmeir;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,404 to Girard; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,388 to Hutchinson et al.
Specifically, the patent to Grimes discloses a monitoring cable release mechanism for a missile having an umbilical plug or connector adjacent one end thereof, a support line attached to the cable, a member to which the support line is attached, a pair of latches pivotally carried by the member for releaseably attaching the member to the missile shell, and means for releasing the latches. The means include a sector shaped release arm pivotally mounted on the member, the release arm having pins received by the latches when the latter are in latching position, a second line having one end attached to the release arm and the other end attached to the plug, whereby when the plug is released, it acts to unlatch the latches thereby permitting the cable to fall clear of the missile.
Alpert discloses a missile umbilical cable adapted to interconnect a missile and a launcher prior to launch and having a mechanical linkage interconnecting the missile and launcher to cause automatic disengagement of the umbilical from the missile upon launch in the absence of shearing forces and consequent destruction of the interconnecting pins or electrical components.
Kongelbeck is directed to a missile connector for providing electrical connections to an aerial missile from a missile launcher of the box type. A novel feature resides in the provision of structure which allows limited shifting movement of the missile in the launcher without disturbing these electrical connections.
Rederiksson et al. disclose a device for breaking the connection between an electric control system and a missile by separating a control cable or umbilical cord joining the missile to its launcher housing during launch. A plurality of continuous, flexible conductors are passed through openings in a non-conductive insert in the surface of the missile. Because the conductors are secured to both the missile and the housing on opposite sides of the insert, they are tensioned against and bent over the outer edge of the opening during launch and broken due to the concentration of tensile and bending stress at the point of contact.
Purdy discloses a peel-away flat cable for providing electrical connection to a missile. First and second flat cables, each having a plurality of spaced conductors, are electrically connected together and are bonded to one another. A breakaway joint is provided in the cable to provide ready separation after the cable has performed its desired function.
Betzmeir relates to an electrical connector designed for use inside a tube such as an ejector tube for the expulsion of bodies from the tube, whereby the electrical connector is ejected from the tube together with the respective body, such as a mine. As soon as the body leaves the tube, the connector automatically separates itself from the ejected body and falls apart. For this purpose the components of the electrical connector are so shaped that they cooperate for making electrical contact only inside the tube.
Girard discloses a device for disconnecting a releasable connector for connecting a flexible connecting element of an umbilical tower to a launcher of the type comprising a base fixed on the launcher and adapted to receive a plug connected to the flexible connecting element and comprising pull-away means for releasing the plug upon firing the launcher connected to an end of a pulling element. The device comprises an element capable of breaking upon firing the launcher for fastening the flexible connecting element to the launcher.
Hutchinson et al. discloses an umbilical cord for connecting the control systems within a control center to the operating systems of a projectile that is located within a launch tube and is to be launched therefrom, the umbilical cord comprising a cable having a plurality of conductors therein and having a control center end and a projectile end, a first connector terminated to the conductors at the control center and at a second connector terminated to the conductors at the projectile end, the second connector having insulation displacement contacts therein where the conductors are terminated and the second connector is captivatively pluggable into a recess in the side of the projectile through a port in the launch tube and upon the launching of the projectile, the connector remains with the projectile and the conductors remain with the launch tube, whereby the conductors are pulled free from the insulation displacement contacts.
It should be understood that the present invention would in fact enhance the functionality of the above patents by providing a simple tool for the adhesive bonding of an umbilical cable to a capsule or the like.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a bonding tool.
Another object of this invention is to provide a bonding tool for adhesively securing a cable to a capsule.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a bonding tool having at least a bar portion and a resilient portion coextensively bonded together.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a bonding tool having a metal alloy bar portion and a resilient sponge portion bonded to the metal alloy.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a bonding tool which is simple to manufacture and easy to use.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a bonding tool including an aluminum metal alloy bar member of a predetermined width, the bar having an upper surface, a lower surface, and opposing longitudinal edges. A resilient material is adhesively joined with the bar, the resilient material having an upper surface, a lower surface and opposing longitudinal edges. The joining of the resilient sponge material to the bar is such that an entire upper surface of the sponge material is coextensive with an entire lower surface of the bar member. The bonding tool is made in several, for example five, sections and is laid on a cable for bonding the cable to a capsule or the like in a separate process.